Automatic car-transfer.



E. M. scovILLB. AUTOMATIC GAB. TRANSFER. APPLICATION FILED AIJZ.25,1907.

Patented Oct. 20, 1908.

wi tu una Patented oct,.2o,19osl 4 SHEETS-SHEET `2.

Snwntoc;

mi NoRRls PETERS co.A wnsnmcmn. n. c.

E. M. sGovILLE. AUTOMATIC GAR TRANSFER.

APPLICATION IILBD APR. 25,*19l'17.

Patented oet. 2o, 41908.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

. en SQ .Q l

wi h1 @aseo 1HE NoRms PETERS cal, wAsurNoTuN, DV c.

E. M. SCOVILLE. AUTOMATIC CAR TRANSFER. APPLICATION FILED APR.25,1907.

Patented 0@t.20,1908.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

wf ZW i Wi h1 moco TH: NaRRIs PErRs co.. wAsmNsraN, n. c,

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

EUG-ENE M. SOOVILLE, OF WAIPAI'IU, TERRITORY OF HAWAII, ASSIGNOR OFONE-HALF TO C. BOSSE, OF WAIPAHU, TERRITORY OF I-IAWAII.

AUTOMATIC CAR-TRANSFER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 20, 1908.

Application led April 25, 1907. Serial No. 370,299.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I3 EUGENE M. SCOVILLE,

-car from the track alongside of the cane carrier of the mill, fromwhich car the cane has been unloaded onto said carrier, to a track onwhich said car may be returned to the cane field. I-Ieretofore suchtransfer has usually been accomplished either by switching the car or bymeans of a turn-table, in either case the car being usually moved bylaborers in a slow and expensive manner.

This invention contemplates the transfer of such cars automaticallywithout laborers, elfecting a saving not only in labor but in the timerequired for such transfer.

The invention` consists in the novel construction and combination ofparts hereinafter fully described and claimed, whereby such a transferis accomplished in a rapid and economical manner.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a car transfer embodying my invention. Fig. 2is a sectional elevation on the line A-B of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is asectional elevation on the line O-D of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an elevation ofthat portion of the apparatus shown on the right hand of Fig. 1.

1 represents the track on which the cars loaded with cane are broughtalongside of the cane carrier 2 onto which the Ycane is unloaded andcarried to the mill. 3 represents a car from which the cane has beenunloaded onto said carrier 2, which car is to be transferred to thetrack 4 and returned to the cane field. The car 5 is a loaded car toreplace the car 3 and be unloaded and then transferred.

A table 6 is placed at the ends of ithe tracks 1 and 4, and is pivotedin the boxes 7 to tilt transversely with respect to said tracks. TheboXes 7 are in line with the center-line of track 4. The tracks 1 and 4are preferably on a slight grade, the track 1 sloping down toward thetable 6, and the track 4 sloping away from the table 6. Below the table6 and in line with center-line of track 1 is the hydraulic cylinder 8provided with the piston 9. A piece 10 is attached to the underside ofthe table 6 and above the cylinder 8. The link 11 is connected to thepiston 9 and to the piece 10 by the bolts 12 and 13 respectively.

A rail 14 and two shorter rails 15 16 are secured to the top of thetable 6, Fig. 1. The rail 14 is practically the full length of thetable, and both ends 14a are curved upward,

Fig. 2. One end 16b of the rail 16 is similarly curved, and the otherend 16a abuts the short piece of rail 17. The corresponding end 15a ofthe rail 15 abuts a like short piece of rail 18. These pieces of rail 1718 are supported by the levers 19 20 pivoted to the table at 6aL and 6brespectively. A counterweight 21 is adjustably secured to each lever 19and 20, Fig. 3. Levers 22 23 are pivoted at 6C 6F1 to the ends of thetable 6. An air cylinder 24, secured to the underside and near themiddle of the table 6, is provided with the piston 25, Fig. 2. Thepiston-rod 26 extends through both cylinder heads 24a 24h, and its ends26a 26b are respectively connected to the lower ends of the levers 2223. The heads 24a 24b are provided with a check valve 27 28 and a cock`29 30 respectively.`

A transfer truck 31 is provided with an aXle 32 with wheels 33 34 to runon the rails 14 16, and the axle 35 with wheels 36 37 to run on therails 14 15 respectively. The rails 14 16 are bent slightly at 14c 16C,so that the transfer truck 31 is level when at the end of the table 6over the cylinder 8, in the position shown in Fig. 2. Two transverserails 38 are secured to the top of the truck 31. forming a short pieceof track of the same gage as that of the tracks 1 and 4. One end 38"@lof each of said rails 38 is curved upward. Water in the pipe 40, underpressure from an accumulator or pump not shown, may be admitted to thecylinder 8 by opening the l table 6 nearest the carrier 2. The piece 46connects the lower arm 44 of the lever 44 with the operating lever 41 ofthe valve 41. The rod 47 connects the upper arm 44b with the lever 48,fulcrumed at 49 and located so that the upper end of the lever 48 isengaged by the front end 3 of the car 3 when said car is moved onto thetruck 31 from the track 1. The valve 41 is open when the levers 44 48are in the tilted position shown by full lines, and closed when saidlevers are in the normal position shown by dotted lines Fig. 3. A weight50 secured to the arm 44c of the lever 44 tends to pull the levers 44 48to the normal position. This arm 44c is engaged and held by thecatch-piece 51 when the lever 44 is in the tilted position. A rod 52depends from the table 6 and is provided with an adjustable collar 53,adapted to engage and trip the catch-piece 51 when the end of the table6 nearest the carrier 2 is raised sufficiently. A lever 54, similar tothe lever 44, is fulcrumed at below the same end of the table 6 but onthe opposite side of the table with respect to the fulcrum 45. lts lower-arm 54 is connected by the piece 56 to the operating lever 43 of thevalve 43. A wire rope 57, passing over the sheaves 64, connects theupper arm 54b with the lever 58, fulcrumed at 59 and located below andalongside of the track 4, such that the upper end of the lever 58 isengaged by the platform of the car 3 when said car passes down the track4 away from the table 6. The valve 43 is open when the levers 54 58 arein the tilted position shown by dotted lines, and closed when saidlevers are in the normal position shown by full lines, Fig. 3. Theweight 60 on the arm 54c tends to pull the levers 54 58 to the normalposition. The arm 54c is held by the catch-piece 61 when the lever 54 isin the tilted position. The rod 62 depends from the table 6, and thecollar 63 on said rod trips the catch-piece 61 when the end of the table6 nearest the carrier 2 is down and in the position shown in F ig. 2.

A bar 65 is pivoted on the bolt 66 to the stand 67, placed in line withtrack 1, but on the other side of the table 6. The end 65 of the bar 65is shaped so as to be first depressed by and then engage the front end 3of the car 3 when said car moves onto the truck 31, Fig. 3. A weight 68is adjustably secured on the other end 65b of said bar.

A frame 70, located between the mill and the table 6, supports a shaft71 `iournaled in the boxes 72 73, and a shaft 74 journaled in the boxes7 A drum 76 and a pulley 77 are keyed to the shaft 71.l The box 73 isprovided with an eccentric bushing 78 to which a lever 79 is attached.The weight 8() is adjustably secured on the lever 79. A paper or otherfriction wheel 81 and a pulley 82 are keyed to the shaft 74, and saidshaft revolved by a belt 83 connecting` the pulley 82 with a ,motor orother source of power. A rope 84 passes over the sheaves 85 86 supportedfrom the roof of the cane shed, and one end of said rope is attached tothe lever 79, and the other end to a weight 87, Figs. 1 and One end of arope 88 is attached to the drum 76, and the other end is provided with aloop or ring 88 for attaching said rope to the hook 89 of a loaded carThe rope 90 passes over the sheaves 91 supported from the cane shedroof, and one end is fastened to the drum 76 and the other end to aweight 92. A brake-lever 93 is pivoted to the frame so as to engage thepulley 77 when the weight 92 rests upon the end 93 of said lever 93.

In operation, the car 3 being ready for transferring from the track 1 totrack 4, the ring 88 is placed on the hook 89 of the loaded car 5, andthe operator then pulls downward on the end of the rope 84 carrying theweight V87, thereby lifting the lever 79 and turning the eccentricbushing 78 in the box 73, causing the pulley 77 to engage the frictionwheel 81 and revolve the shaft 71 with the drum 76. rl`he rope 88,.inwinding upon the drum 76, pulls the car 5 until it arrives at theunloading position, whereupon the operator releases his hold upon saidrope 84 and applies the brake on the car 5. Vhen the rope 84 wasreleased, the weight 8O caused the lever 79 to lower, thereby turningthe eccentric bushing 78 and disengaging the pulley 77 from the frictionwheel 81. At the same time that the rope 88 was being wound upon thedrum 76, the ropeV Y 90 was also being wound .upon said drum, raisingthe weight 92. Then the pulley 77 was disengaged from the friction wheel81, the rope 90, pulled by the weight 92, in unwinding from the drum 76reverses the direction of rotation of the shaft 71. The rope 88 is thusunivound from said drum until the weight 92 rests upon the end 93 of thebrake-lever 93 and applies said brake to the wheel 77. The operator inthe mean time pulling on the ring 88 pulls the rope 88 out to theposition for hooking said ring onto the hook 89 of the next loaded car.

.Vhile the car 5 was being pulled by the rope 88, the said car pushedthe car 3 towards the table 6, the brake of the car 3 being released,and the car 3 thus started continued down the inclined track 1 and ontothe rails 38 on the top of the transfer truck 31, further motion of thecar 3 being prevented by 'its front wheels engaging the curved ends 38of said rails. The end 65 of the bar 65 engages the front end 3 of thecar 3 and holds said car in the position shown in Fig. 3. The front end3 of the car 3 has pushed the lever 48 to the tilted position, the rod47 at the same time tilting the lever 44. The valve 41 being therebyopened, water enters the cylinder 8 through the pipe 40, and l on thetruck 31. The table 6 and truck 31 the piston 9 is forced upward tiltingthe table 6, until the collar 53 on the rod 52 trips the catch-piece 51and releases the arm 44C and permits the weight 50 to pull the levers 4448 to the normal position, thereby closing the valve 41. The car 3 isthus elevated and clear of both the lever 48 and the end 65a of the bar65. The table 6 has thus been tilted so that the portions of the rails14 16 formerly level, and on which the truck 31 carrying the car 3rested, now become inclined, and the truck with the car thereon runs bygravity to the pivoted end of the table. Upon arriving near the end ofthe table, the wheels 34 37 of the truck 31 run off from the ends 16a15a of the rails 16 15 onto the short rails 17 18 respectively. Beforehowever the wheel 36 engages the curved end 14JL of the rail 14, theaxle 35 engages and pushes the upper end of the lever 23 with it,thereby forcing the piston 25 toward the head 24L of the cylinder 24,air entering said cylinder behind said piston through the check valve 28and cock 30 and escaping through the cock 29 in front of said piston.The retarding effect upon the truck 31 by this arrangement may beregulated, by the said cock 29 being more or less opened, so as toprevent the ar which would otherwise. occur when the wheel 3G engagesthe end 14EL of the rail 14. The weight of the truck 31 with the car 3thereon is sufficient to overcome the counterweights 21 on the levers 1920 when the wheels 34 37 rest on the short rails 17 18 respectively, andthese rails are depressed thereby lowering the end of the truck 31nearest track 4. The car 3 now runs by gravity off from the inclinedrails 38 onto the track 4. The truck 31 being thus relieved of the loadof the car 3, the short rails 17 18 return to their normal position bythe action of the counterweights 21, and the end of the truck 31 whichwas lowered is now raised thereby. The car 3, thus started on theinclined track 4, soon engages and tilts the lever 58, which pulls onthe rope 57 and tilts the lever 54, thereby opening the valve 43allowing the water in the cylinder 8 to escape through the pipe 42. Thepiston 9 then lowers, tilting the table 6, until the collar 63 on therod 62 tripping the catch-piece 61 releases the arm 54C and permits theweight 60 to pull the levers 54 58 to the normal position, closing thevalve 43. The table 6 being thus inclined, the truck 31 runs by gravityback to the end of the table nearest the carrier 2. Previous however tothe wheels 33 34 of the truck 31 engaging the curved ends 14"d1 16b ofthe rails 14 16 respectively, the axle 32 engages and pushes the lever22 thereby forcing the piston 25 toward the head 24b of the cylinder 24,air entering through the check valve 27 and cock 29 and escaping throughthe cock 30, which is adjusted to produce the desired retarding effect atiltable table, a transfer truck thereon,

means for tilting said table automatically operated by the cartransferred, and means for retaining the car on said truck when it runsonto said truck at the receiving end of said table.

' 3. An automatic car transfer, comprising a tiltable table, a transfertruck thereon, means for tilting said table automatically opera-ted bythe car, and means for retarding the movement of said truck at eitherend of said table.

4. An automatic car transfer, comprising a tiltable table, a transfertruck thereon, means for tilting said table automatically operated bythe car, and means for depressing one end of said truck when carryingsaid car at the discharging end of said table.

5. An automatic car transfer, comprising a tiltable table, a transfertruck thereon, a fluid pressure motor for operating the tiltable table,means operated by the car moving to position on the truck for admittingpressure to said motor, and means actuated by the car after the transferhas been effected for relieving pressure in the motor.

'6. An automatic car transfer, comprising a titlable table, a transfertruck thereon, a fluid pressure motor for operating the tiltable table,a lever system engaged by the car moving to position on the truck foroperating the inlet valve of the motor, and a second lever systemengaged by the car as the s ame leaves the truck to open the exhaustvalve of said motor.

7. An automatic car transfer, comprising a tiltable table, a transfertruck thereon, a fluid pressure motor for operating the tiltable table,a lever system engaged by the car moving to position on the truck foroperating the inlet valve of the motor, a second lever system engaged bythe car as the same leaves the truck to open the exhaust valves of saidmotor, and means operated by the table as the same reaches its extremepositions in either direction` for releasing the lever mechanismaforesaid and lpermitting the inlet and exhaust valves t-o close.

8. An automatic car transfer, comprising a tiltable table, a transfertruck thereon, a single continuous rail and two overlapping railsections on said table, said rail sections having depressible endsections to cause the truck to tilt laterally and discharge the carthereon, and means for tilting said table, automatically operated by theear transferred.

9. An automat-ic car transfer, comprising a tiltable table, a transfertruck thereon, a single continuous rail and two overlapping railsections on said table, said rail sections having depressible endsections to cause the truck to tilt laterally and discharge the cnrthereon7 and counter-Weights for holding said depressible end sectionsnormally in alinement with the rail sections, and means for tilting saidtable automatically operated by the car transferred.

l0. An automatic car transfer7 comprising a tiltable table, a transfertruck thereon, means for tilting said table automatically operated bythe ear, and means for retard-ing the movement of seid truck at eitherend of said table, comprising pivoted levers adapted to be engaged bythe car, an air cylinder located below the tables, a piston therein eonnected to said levers and means connected with said cylinder forretarding the escape of air from the cylinder as the piston moves ineither direction therein.

In testimony whereof l have signed my name to this Specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

EUGENE M. SCOVILLE.

Witnesses Ro'r. J. PRATT, Gns'ro NrooLAr.

